Home Affairs Ministry commissions new multi-million-dollar Fort Wellington Divisional Headquarters
The Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn, M.P., commissioned a new multi-million-dollar police station on Monday, February 6, 2023, to provide a favourable environment for officers to effectively serve and protect residents of region five.
The Fort Wellington Divisional Headquarters in Region Five commenced construction in October 2019. The $201.7 million multi-purpose policing facility was designed to accommodate a fully functional domestic violence room, a juvenile-friendly holding area, a witness protection room, a case management room and system, a child-friendly area, and an integrated crime information system and offices.
At the handover ceremony, the minister encouraged the officers to integrate public security with improved accommodations and technology. He said that, fundamentally, the Guyana Police Force is the force of the peacekeepers in Guyana.
“We need more engagements between the police and the people, where there is communication, where there is less fear, where there is less distrust and mistrust; we need that kind of relationship now if we are to have significant steps moving forward on the issues of crime and violence,” Minister Benn charged.
While boosting the physical infrastructure of the police is critical, the minister also emphasized the need for adequate building maintenance in order to keep the station a friendly and peaceful environment for the populace.
Additionally, Mr. Benn noted that “the community policing groups and the station management committees will help to facilitate and be the eyes and ears of policing in the community, beyond the specialist police themselves, because they are a volunteer organization, and we are getting much, much more information.”
Alluding to the fact that the recently approved budget is the largest budget ever, the Home Affairs Minister announced that region five is earmarked in the budget to have a safe country facility, which is a command centre to support the work of ensuring peace and policing in region five.
In closing, Minister Benn reiterated, “It must be used correctly, effectively, and in a way that guarantees peace in Region Five. I could only give you encouragement and reassure you of our support at the level of ministry because you have the facilities and equipment necessary to do the task.”
Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Clifton Hicken, while noting that the Guyana Police Force is no longer working in isolation, urged Commander Simon, “Commander, this is the posture of the leadership of the Guyana Police Force, and this partnership effort must be maintained and sustained.”
The top cop noted that if the Guyana Police Force is to improve on its infrastructure, it will create conduciveness and this will garner efficiency in the execution of duties.
Additionally, Mr. Hicken indicated that new, standardized buildings are being built across the regions with the requisite departments and infrastructure that is contemporary and second to none in the Caribbean.
He further added that headquarters maintenance teams were decentralized in all the regions in order to make each station self-sufficient.
“Much is given, and much is expected,” Mr. Hicken emphasized.
The state-of-the-art policing facility was constructed to provide a conducive environment for officers, to boost their effectiveness, fight crime, and promote public safety.
Present at the ceremony were Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag) Mr. Calvin Brutus, Commander Regional Police Division # 5 Mr. Kurleigh Simon, Deputy Commander Superintendent Guy Nurse, Regional Chairman Mr. Vickchand Ramphal, Regional Executive Officer Ms. Genevieve Blackman, senior and junior officers, special invitees, among others.